The 49ers are widely expected to take a quarterback with the third pick in Thursday’s 2021 NFL draft, though, who exactly their selection will be remains in question.
Whoever they take, however, will likely still enter next season in the same quarterback room with current starter Jimmy Garoppolo.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the team has no plans to trade Garoppolo prior to the draft unless the value “overwhelms them.” According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, multiple teams are expected to contact San Francisco on Thursday about the availability of Garoppolo, but as of Thursday morning, the chance of him being traded are “remote,” in the words of one of Schefter’s sources.
2021 NFL Mock Draft 5.0: Six First-Round Quarterbacks; Three Projected Trades
When asked earlier this week if Garoppolo would be on the team’s roster following the draft, head coach Kyle Shanahan took a dark turn.
“I can’t guarantee that anybody in the world will be alive Sunday, so I can’t guarantee who will be on our roster on Sunday,” he said. “So that goes for all of us.”
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said Thursday that among the teams who could contact San Francisco, the Patriots remain one logical choice. Garoppolo began his career in New England before being traded to the 49ers during the 2017 season.
Garoppolo currently has a no-trade clause in his contract, potentially limiting suitors who might otherwise be interested in the veteran quarterback.
The draft gets underway at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday night.
Check out the latest news and notes from around the NFL in the lead-up to the draft. (All times Eastern):
9:00 a.m. —
- The Saints appear to be the team doing the most groundwork for a potential trade up in the first round. (Ian Rapoport, NFL Network)
- The Panthers have picked up the fifth-year option for wide receiver D.J. Moore, but they have not yet done so with quarterback Sam Darnold leaving open the possibility of drafting a quarterback. (Adam Schefter, ESPN)
More NFL Draft Coverage:
• Rosenberg: Trevor Lawrence Is Out to Prove Absolutely Nothing
• Bishop: Trey Lance Is Just Different
• Prewitt: The Year of the Opt-Out Prospect
• Rosenberg: Justin Fields, the Player and the Story Line
• Kahler: The Search for 2021’s Prospect X
